One year ago today I made the decision to buy my house here in Guardia
Sanframondi. Only a few people knew about it, I waited around a month to make
the big announcement. But today was the day the contacts were signed, hands
were shook and many tears flowed for me. It was a big decision, one I did not
enter lightly. I had been in Guardia in October of 2014 for 6 days to look for
my house, but left empty handed. I was all booked and ready to go to Florence
for a month and half for several projects I was working on, but when I arrived
in Florence I felt something was missing. I knew I had to go back to Guardia
and find my dream house. So, I cut my trip to Florence short and returned to
Guardia in December for another three weeks to find my house. After seeing
house after house, probably at least thirty, I saw my house and I knew it was
for me. The cantina and backyard are what really sold me. I saw so much
potential there for the future.

I am now happily living in this house. I've had such beautiful,
magical experiences and made friends that I truly cherish, shared such special
moments and developed relationships with people that I feel like I've known for
years and I've come to love. Guardia is so special and it is not just the
beauty, but it's the people. It’s the authenticity. It’s real. So thank you for
welcoming me into your community.

After just a month and a half in NYC, I am now back in my
new home of beautiful Guardia Sanframondi. From the beginning, when I told my
friends back in the states that I was moving here, the first question was
“why?” Well, I’ll tell you. It’s a long story, but I’ll try to keep it brief.

Four years ago when I first came to Italy, I knew I wanted
to keep coming and eventually settle here. After all, this is where my family
is from. This is where my blood is. My heart. My soul belongs to Italy. But I
didn’t know where in Italy. I felt there was a perfect place for me, but I just
hadn’t found it yet. My first intention was to settle in Florence, but after
coming to Guardia, I realized I was looking for a very drastic change and
Guardia was that change. I grew up listening to my mother tell me stories about
her childhood and growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where so many of the
residents were Italians. It was a safe community, everybody knew each other,
kids could play on the streets and know that someone’s mama or nonna was
looking out for them. That’s what I wanted and I really felt I could have that
feeling of trust, safety and community in Guardia. What I didn’t know though,
was just how close Guardia was to where my great grandfather was born.

That’s right. My great grandfather was born in Sala
Consilina, just two hours away from Guardia. I felt like this was Fate’s way of
telling me even more so that Guardia was the place for me. This was my new
home, because in a sense, it was like my family never left. I was meant to be here.

This past summer, my mother and I went with a friend to Sala
Consilina and were actually able to get a copy of my great grandfather’s birth
certificate. It was a very emotional and moving experience for us, one that I
will never forget. In fact, we even visited the house where he was born. Here
we were, standing in the town where my family’s roots are. It was even more
special since I now live just two hours away.

I believe fate brought me here for a reason. Back to where
my family is from. Back to where I can be part of that big beautiful Italian
community. Back to where I am supposed to be. Back home.